Gifts: Children of Gaia
The Children of Gaia Gifts Spirits in service to or allied with a tribe's totem teach Tribal Gifts. Some tribes' Gifts haven't changed in centuries, while others (such as the Glass Walkers) regularly reinvent their relationship with the spirits. Learning a Gift from another tribe usually requires the Garou to be on good terms with at least one member of the tribe (generally a packmate) who can summon the appropriate spirit. Even then, the Garou must convince the spirit she is worthy of its blessings, and that she won't turn them against its tribal allies. Some Garou are extremely touchy about outsiders learning their tribal blessings, while others believe the practice strengthens the Garou Nation as a whole in its war against the Wyrm. The Gifts of the Children of Gaia aid in calming others and strengthening themselves. Yet those who would dismiss the most peaceful of the tribes as ineffective pacifists will be surprised to discover how well the spirits prepare the Children for the inevitability of battle -- the Children know that peace is an ideal to strive toward, while the looming Apocalypse is a reality. Rank 1 Brother’s Scent Drawing upon the universal brotherhood of all creatures of Gaia, the werewolf seems to fit in wherever he goes. Those given no reason to suspect the Child's presence simply overlook her. A servant of Unicorn teaches this Gift. System: The player spends a Gnosis point and rolls Appearance + Empathy (difficulty 6). All individuals not specifically on guard against intruders overlook any incongruity in the Garou's appearance -- for example, a naked man covered in blood and carrying a grand klaive walking through a high-society ball would draw no particular notice, nor would a wolf wandering through a residential neighborhood. The Garou isn't invisible, he simply doesn't stand out when he otherwise should, and his appearance is considered unremarkable even when he's interacted with. If the werewolf's actions alone would draw attention to himself (shouting, starting a fight, attempting to kick down a locked door) the Gift's illusion is immediately broken. Those specifically on the lookout for individuals who don't belong (security guards at a private facility, for example) don't succumb to this Gift unless their Willpower is lower than the Garou's successes on the activation roll. Jam Weapon The Child may stop any Weaver-born weapons from working within the range of his voice. A dove-spirit teaches this Gift. System: The Garou shouts an ancient word of power and grace and spends a Gnosis point. The player rolls Willpower against a difficulty of highest Willpower of any armed individual within earshot. For each success, all manufactured weapons will not function for one turn. This includes guns, crossbows, flame-throwers, and even knives and swords, which refuse to cut. Natural weapons (such as claws) and natural objects appropriated as weapons (such as rocks or naturally-fallen tree limbs) are unaffected. Mercy Children of Gaia see no use for lethal force when not fighting minions of the Wyrm, but even they succumb to frenzy. This Gift allows the Garou to use her natural weaponry and Rage without fear of killing her opponent. A dove-spirit teaches this Gift. System: The player spends one Gnosis point. For the rest of the scene, all damage that the Garou inflicts with her own body is considered bashing. A creature "killed" by such damage merely falls unconscious, and he may heal the wounds at the usual rate for bashing damage. Mother’s Touch The Theurge channels spiritual power through her hands, mending the wounds of any other living creature. This Gift may not heal the werewolf herself, spirits, or the undead. A bear- or unicorn-spirit teaches it. System: The player spends one Gnosis point and rolls Intelligence + Empathy (difficulty is the target's current Rage, or 5 for those with no Rage). Each success heals one level of lethal, bashing, or aggravated damage. The healer may even heal fresh Battle Scars in this manner, if the Gift is applied during the same scene in which the scar is received and an extra Gnosis point is spent. Resist Pain Fortifying herself with purpose and will, the werewolf shuts out the pain of her wounds. A bear- or badger-spirit teaches this Gift. System: The player spends one Willpower point; the character ignores all wound penalties for the rest of the scene. Rank 2 Calm This Gift imparts the secret of quelling the anger in others. A unicorn-spirit teaches this Gift. System: The player spends one Gnosis and rolls Charisma + Empathy (difficulty equals the target's Willpower). Each success removes one of the target's Rage points, which may be regained normally. If used on a creature capable of frenzy which has no Rage (vampires, some fomori), the Gift cancels the frenzy if the player scores at least three successes. Grandmother’s Touch The Child of Gaia channels spiritual power through her hands, mending the wounds of any living creature. This Gift may heal the werewolf herself, spirits, or the undead. A bear- or unicorn-spirit teaches it. Again- Grandmother’s Touch is expressly an advanced version of the Gift Mother’s Touch, in that it allows the Garou to heal themselves. Mother’s Touch must already be known in order to learn this Gift. System: The player spends one Gnosis point and rolls Intelligence + Empathy (difficulty is the target's current Rage, or 5 for those with no Rage). Each success heals one level of lethal, bashing, or aggravated damage. The healer may even heal fresh Battle Scars in this manner, if the Gift is applied during the same scene in which the scar is received and an extra Gnosis point is spent. Luna’s Armor The Child of Gaia invokes the moon's sacred power. Her body is briefly wreathed in a shimmer of moonlight, granting her Luna's protection. This Gift is taught by a Lune. System: The werewolf concentrates for a turn; the player spends one Gnosis point and rolls Stamina + Survival (difficulty 6). Each success allows the Garou to add one die to his soak pools. These dice, and these dice alone, may even be rolled to soak damage from silver. The benefit lasts for one scene. Para Bellum Though the Children love life, spring, and all that is good of Gaia, they aren't pacifists; they always stand ready to protect their Mother. The werewolf's Rage bursts forth in a torrent when another breaks the peace she so cherishes. A bear-spirit teaches this Gift. System: This Gift may only be used at the beginning of a battle that was not initiated by the Garou, her pack, or her allies. The player spends one point of Rage; for the rest of the scene, the character enjoys one additional dot of Strength and Dexterity when attacking the enemy who fired the first shot of the battle, or any character that has inflicted an injury on a member of the Child's pack during the scene. Unicorn’s Arsenal The werewolf's claws and fangs become dazzling and pearlescent, shining with an inner multihued glory. Those wounded by these natural weapons lose the will to fight. An avatar of Unicorn teaches this Gift. System: The player spends one Gnosis point to initiate the transformation. Any opponent bearing a wound delivered by the Unicorn's Arsenal loses two dice from all attack rolls until the wound has healed. Rank 3 Calm the Savage Beast Even the most callous of homids can sympathize with the Rage that moves their fellow Garou in the final days. This Gift allows the werewolf to lend a frenzying Garou the will to escape her Rage’'s hold over her. It is taught by an ancestor-spirit. System: The player spends a Willpower point and rolls Manipulation + Primal-Urge (difficulty 8). If successful, the Willpower point soothes a frenzying Garou within 30 feet (9 m), canceling the frenzy. By spending an extra point of Willpower, this Gift may affect non-Garou in a state of frenzy, such as other shapeshifters or vampires. Dazzle The Garou can flood a target's mind with the glory and love of Gaia, rendering him harmless for a short while. A unicorn-spirit teaches this Gift. System: The player rolls Charisma + Empathy against a difficulty of the target's Willpower (+1 if the target is a creature of the Wyrm). As long as the target isn't attacked, he stands mutely in awe for the remainder of the scene. This Gift can be attempted against a given target only once per scene. Lover’s Touch The Garou can restore what another lacks: not only wounds healed, but also strength of will and even spiritual essence. Any spirit of love or avatar of Unicorn may teach this Gift. System: The Garou touches the afflicted individual kindly. The two need not be lovers, but the contact must convey affection and warmth -- an embrace, a caress, or yet more intimate contact. The player spends a Gnosis point and rolls Intelligence + Medicine; each success heals one level of bashing or lethal damage, or restores one point of Willpower or Essence (if the target is a spirit). The difficulty is the Rage or Willpower of the target (whichever is higher). The player may choose to divide the successes among multiple results. Alternately, by neither healing wounds nor restoring Willpower or Essence, the Garou may suppress a Derangement for one day per success. This Gift cannot provide permanent relief from such afflictions, but it can act as a start on the road to recovery. Speech of All Things The Children of Gaia must communicate if they wish to accomplish their goals of unity and understanding. This Gift is a greater version of the Speech Of The World Homid Gift. The Garou can understand, read, write and speak any language as fluently as she physically can. She can emulate the roars of the Simba, but any member of that Breed would know the difference since she does not have the vocal capacity to make the correct sounds. Within those limits, she can speak the languages of various Changing Breeds, she knows the secret rune languages of dead magi, and if she were so inclined, she could even understand the dread tongues of the Wyrm. This Gift does not protect the Garou mind from what she hears. A servant of Unicorn teaches this Gift. System: The character can understand any language once she has learned this Gift. With an Intelligence + Academics roll (difficulty 7) she can read and write in those languages for the scene. If the language is not in common usage by more than a single, small group or culture -- or does not have a written form -- the difficulty increases to 9. Spirit Friend The werewolf projects a feeling of tranquility and fellowship that spirits naturally perceive. Save for the mad or corrupt, spirits treat the Garou with courtesy and chivalry. This Gift is taught by a unicorn-spirit. System: The player rolls Charisma + Empathy (difficulty 7). Each success adds one die to all of the Garou's dice pools for interacting with any non-Bane spirits for the rest of the scene. Rank 4 Beast Life The werewolf can communicate with other wild animals and attract or even command them. Domesticated animals may speak with the Garou, but they have given themselves over to the ways of humans and will provide no aid beyond information. Any animal spirit can teach this Gift, although lupus prefer to learn it from lion- or wolf-spirits. System: The character gains the permanent ability to communicate with all animals, regardless of the form she wears. To attract animals, the player spends one Gnosis point and rolls Charisma + Animal Ken (difficulty 7). All animals within 10 miles (16 km) per success respond to the summons, and will follow any requests the Garou makes. It is considered customary to pay homage to the spirit of any animal ordered to sacrifice itself with this Gift; to do otherwise risks angering the spirit world. Serenity The Garou can fill a hot heart with the peace of Gaia, even in the midst of battle. An avatar of Unicorn teaches this Gift. System: The player spends one Gnosis point and rolls Charisma + Expression (difficulty equal to the target's Willpower). For one turn per success, the target automatically fails all Rage rolls, cannot frenzy, and cannot spend Rage. Strike the Air The Child becomes the ultimate example of passive resistance. She is unable to attack an opponent, but is also unable to be hit, allowing her opponent to exhaust herself in an intricate dance of frustrated blows. A mongoose-spirit teaches this Gift. System: The player spends one Willpower point and rolls Wits + Athletics (difficulty equals the opponent's Willpower). For the duration of the scene, the opponent cannot strike the Garou, no matter how well he rolls. This Gift is canceled immediately if the werewolf attacks his opponent or if anyone else attacks on the Garou's behalf. This Gift will work on multiple opponents, but the player must spend a point of Willpower and make a new roll for each attacker. Uncaught Since the Primal Morn This Gift grants Unicorn's perfect speed to the werewolf, allowing her to outrun virtually any pursuer. An avatar of Unicorn teaches this Gift. System: The player spends a Gnosis point and rolls Stamina + Athletics (difficulty equals the highest Stamina + Athletics of any pursuer). The Garou is unfailingly faster than her pursuers for one scene per success. Rank 5 Halo of the Sun The character speaks an ancient word sacred to Helios and is immediately surrounded by a sphere of blazing sunlight. Those Wyrm-creatures who fear the sun may flee before the werewolf. This Gift is taught by a servant of Helios. System: The player spends one Gnosis point; the effect lasts for one scene. The character receives two extra dice to the damage of any hand-to-hand attacks and causes aggravated damage while he is in Homid and Glabro forms. Anyone directly facing the werewolf adds three to all attack difficulties due to the glare. Any vampires within 20 yards (18 m) suffer three levels of aggravated damage per turn. The Living Wood The Child of Gaia calls upon the powers of the forest to rise and aid her. Nearby trees begin to move and attempt to protect the Garou. Limbs and vines will restrain, block and even fight those attempting to harm her. A Glade Child teaches this Gift. System: The player spends one Gnosis point and rolls Charisma + Survival (difficulty 8). The character animates one tree for each success rolled.